'Crossroads of Europe' is an annual event highlighting places and routes in Europe associated with a coming together of different cultures. The aim is to promote cooperation and exchange, and to raise awareness of the potential for a new kind of tourism.

Cultural and religious routes

For this first year, the focus was put on cultural and religious routes.

A conference and a fair were hosted by the Italian city of Pavia – located at the crossroad of five cultural routes that once attracted people from all over Europe, united by their shared values.

Public conference: 'Religious tourism and pilgrimage routes', 7 June 2012This public conference aimed to stimulatie interest in pilgrimage routes and raise awareness of the need for sustainable tourism that respects nature and cultural traditions